Apparently there are two standard equations used by these calorie calculators. The Harris-Benedict equation generates a much higher number and it looks like there's a growing consensus that it doesn't really apply to many of us in the era of the obesity epidemic. Then there's the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which I think produces a more accurate (if also more disappointing) number.

The latter is the default equation at this site. If you click on 'advanced options' you can see your numbers with the Harris-Benedict equation too, and compare and contrast!

Hmm...well according to that site, I should be eating 1,960 calories a day for EXTREME weight loss. I put in little to no exercise just see. I do workout though. That seems high for me. I don't know...maybe that is why I have been only losing .8 - 1.8lbs a week. Maybe I am not eating enough?? Seems kind of crazy...I try to keep my calories between 1600-1700. I was trying to keep them at 1500 but wasn't really losing.

Jen - Mine said the same thing. I am your height..., only my calories were even more (maybe due to my weight?) I decided right then and there that eating that many calories a day is what made me this weight, it doesn't make any sense to keep eating that way. So i'm doing 1200-1500 a day. I'm basically just aiming for 2 lbs a week which is 7000 calories reduced in diet AND exercised. I'm losing weight pretty fast though, so I dont' know if i'm not eating enough. I don't have the answer.

For what it's worth, I thought I was eating way too much - calculators estimated MR at 1560 a day or so. I got a Sensewear monitor (like a BodyBugg) and it turns out I'm burning around 2100 - 2200 cals a day - when I'm NOT exercising. When I am, it's closer to 3000 a day. And I'm 5' 1". I couldn't lose weight at 1500 cals a day even though I thought it was the right amount. I have to eat 1800-2000.

For what it's worth, I thought I was eating way too much - calculators estimated MR at 1560 a day or so. I got a Sensewear monitor (like a BodyBugg) and it turns out I'm burning around 2100 - 2200 cals a day - when I'm NOT exercising. When I am, it's closer to 3000 a day. And I'm 5' 1". I couldn't lose weight at 1500 cals a day even though I thought it was the right amount. I have to eat 1800-2000.

I don't disagree with the "how much to lose' potion... not really... I've been losing a steady 2 lbs per week (about) for 4 months and am eating at least 1800 calories per day on average (some days lower like 1500, some days more than 2,000)...

so I know the "to lose" amounts aren't horrible for me... It was the Maintenance part that got me crazy!

The second calculator that 3Beans gave the link to--- that one calculated my "maintenance" calories at 199 pounds to be 2,133 per day--- that's a BIG difference from the first calculator!!!

I tried the website for fun after reading this post and for some reason it told me I need to consume 1033 calories a day to lose 2.5 lbs a week for a sedentary lifestyle. And If I do medium activity I need to consume roughly 1700 calories a day to lose 2 lbs/week. Currently I'm doing 1600 calories don't know if it's good or bad I believe it's based on weight also as you don't want to let your body go in starvation mode.

__________________"Exercise is really the right elixir""For above average results, it takes an above average effort. For mind blowing results, it takes a mind blowing effort. With effort and hard work, amazing transformations can happen." Tom Venuto

__________________"Exercise is really the right elixir""For above average results, it takes an above average effort. For mind blowing results, it takes a mind blowing effort. With effort and hard work, amazing transformations can happen." Tom Venuto

Link is www.sensewear.com or www.bodymedia.com. In a nutshell, it's a pedometer, accelerometer, and measures heat dispersion and something else science-y (I'm not very technical!) It's a band you wear on your arm 24-7 (except when you bathe.) It's amazing. All that stuff about exercise raising your metabolism for several hours after you stop? Turns out it's true! I ran for 45 minutes at lunchtime, and an hour later I'm still burning 6.4 calories a minute. Very, very cool and motivating. They're really spendy though. You can get a BodyBugg (same technology, different company) from 24hourfitness. This is the model they used on Biggest Loser, but BodyBugg isn't releasing the newer version until fall, and Sensewear's is out now.

Like I said, it's expensive. But it keeps me honest like nothing I've seen. Happy customer.

Oh yeah - the other good thing about it, I don't have to rely on calculators to figure out what my BMR is. You upload all your data to a website and it figures it all out for you. You can do all your meal planning and logging there too. Little bonus - it tells you how long you were laying down v. how long you actually slept every night. (It's a pretty amazing little piece of technology!)

Thanks kuhljeanie I'm definitely going to check it out. It does sound cool from your description.Seems you and I are very close in range.

__________________"Exercise is really the right elixir""For above average results, it takes an above average effort. For mind blowing results, it takes a mind blowing effort. With effort and hard work, amazing transformations can happen." Tom Venuto

Indeed we are! Since I've had it I'm finding I get a little worried about posts that say things like "of course I can't possibly eat/burn that much" - no of course about it. I assumed I was burning far fewer calories than I actually was.

The reason I mentioned 24hour - forgot to explain - they sell BodyBuggs much more cheaply than Sensewear, and they go on sale all the time.